Process of renewing or reclaiming old worn felts.



M. STABINSKY. PROCESS OF RENEWING 0R REGLAIMING OLD WORN PELTs.

APPLICATION FILED APR.13. 1914.

1,1 16,749, I Patented NOV. 10, 1914.

ami lncaoea nucnfoz:

s'rarmsxr, or warnn'rowiv, NEW YORK.

PROCESS OF RENEWING OB BEGLAIHING OLD FEL'IS:

Specification of Letters Yatnt.

Patented Nov. 10,1914.

Application Apri118, 191. Serial 1 820,831,572.

citizen of the United. States, residing at! Watertown, in the co nty of Jefferson and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Processes of Renewing or Reclaiming Old Worn Felts, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a process of renewing or reclaiming old worn felts, and which have lost their fuzzy or fleecy characteristic, into a fabric possessing a similar fuzzy or fieecy surface or surfaces.

More specifically the invention relates to the treatment of wool felt used in paper mills, commonly known as paper makers felts and which have been worn smooth, and discarded, so far as further use in that art is concerned. This wool felt when used in paper machinery is of .practical use for extremely short periods of time only, say for example from ten days to two weeks, and being composed of the finest wool, is correspondingly expensive.

Inthe treatment of the paper pulp or other material the nap is quickly worn olf the surface or surfaces of the body of the felt and the woven body exposed to the paper whichwould cause a corresponding marking of the paper and consequently the discarding of the felt with the incidental loss of a material which I have found to still possess merit and commercial value.

Under the treatment of the paper substance, the felt becomes discolored by the paper coloring or tinting dies, and in addition to losing its nap becomes dirty and impregnated with grit and clay utilized as constituents in the paper product. So far as I am aware, no attempt has heretofore been made to renew the nap of this smoothly worn felt because of its incapabili for continued use in paper making machinery, it being appreciated that a wool felt to be satisfactory in machinery of that kind must be of substantial thickness and a relatively .uniform thiclmess, whereas the smoothly worn felt will be quite thin in some places as compared to others. I have discovered that these supposedly worn out felt sheets, though impregnated with grit, clay, etc., and discolored, as suggested, are capable of such treatment as will render the same serviceable as bed blankets, overcoats and similar articles.

7 In the results stated I first sub- ;ric, orwhat may be termed the remaining body of the wool felt, after being stripped of 1ts fleece ornap, to a suitable cleansing 1 solution, such as water and soap, moving the fabric around while within said bath to liberate the grit and clay, causing the latter to fall therefrom, while at the same time otherwise cleaning, softening and rendering the material pliable for subsequent treatment, it being understood that the fabric as discarded from the paper machines is of a relatively harsh or rough nature.

After subjection to the bath for a satisfactory period of time, dependent of course upon the condition of the material being treated, the same is removed from the bath degree leaving but slight; moisture or dampness in the fabric. While in this latter condition the fabric is teazeled or subjected to an equivalent treatment to raise the nap without injuring the body,on one or both sides as desired,-it being noted that this teazeling step is advantageously carried on fabric to prevent injury to the strands composing the body, because of the smooth character thereof; it being further observed acter of the fabric the same is teazeled under pressure applied thereto, to an extent not in the fiber or fleece is somewhat exposed under the natural state thereof. Following the teazeling step of my method the resultant product is. thoroughly dried by subjection of the same to the action of dry air.

Where it is desirable to 'colorthe 'reclaimed felt, I have found it expedient and most successful to dye the same intermecliate of the preliminary drying step and the teazeling step, in other words, dye the cleansed material prior to its teazeling or nap-creating treatment, which last mentioned step however, is, under this performance of the method, also carried on with the material in a slightly damp state.

Any suitable series of machines or appasuch mechanical constructions are not part of the present invention, nor is the invenject the worn or smooth surfaced woven fab-' under a relatively slow movement of the' that because of such relatively smooth char necessary in a normal felt product whereand dried to a substantial extent, that is to a I ratus may be used to facilitate and expedite the carrying forward of my method, but

- same need not be illustrated or referred to in detail herein.

It is probably equally unnecessary to illustrate the fabric itself, but for the sake of clearness'I have shown in the accompanying drawings forming part hereof in Figures 1 and 2 a plan view and cross section respectively, of a fragment of the worn out or discarded wool felt, and Figs. 3 and 4: corresponding views of the renewed or reclaimed felt.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. The method substantially as herein described of reclaiming relatively smooth discarded paper makers felt fabric comprising the subjecting of the same to a bath of cleansing solution to clean the same and liberate the grit and clay-like constituents borne thereby, drying the felt upon its removal from said bath to a degree leaving only a slight dampness therein and while in damp condition teazeling the surface of the fabric.

2. The method substantially as herein described of reclaiming relatively smooth discarded paper makers felt fabrics comprising the subjecting of the same to a bath of cleansing solution to clean the same and liberate the gritty and clay-like constituents borne thereby, treating the felt to a drying action upon removal from such bath, and subsequently teazeling the surface of the fabric.

3. The method substantially as herein described of reclaiming relatively smooth discarded paper makers felt fabrics comprising the subjecting of the same to a bath of cleansing solution to clean the same and liberate the gritty and clay-like constituents borne thereby, moving the fabric while in its bath to facilitate the liberation of the foreign matters stated, treating the felt to a drying action upon removal from such bath, and subsequently teazeling the surface of the fabric.

4. The method substantially as herein described of reclaiming relatively smooth discarded paper makers felt fabric comprising the subjecting of the same to a bath of cleansing solution to clean the same and liberate the gritty and clay-like constituents borne thereby, treating the felt to a drying action upon removal from such bath, dyeing the fabric, and subsequently teazeling the surface of the fabric.

5. The method substantially as herein described of reclaiming relatively smooth discarded paper makers fabrics comprising the subjecting of the same to a bath of cleansing solution to clean the same and liberate the gritty and clay-like constituents borne thereby, moving the fabric while in its bath to facilitate the liberation of the foreign matters stated, treating the felt to a drying action upon removal from such bath, dyeing the fabric, and subsequently teazeling the surface of the fabric.

6. The method substantially as herein described of reclaiming relatively smooth dis.

carded paper makers felt fabrics comprising the subjecting of the same to a bath of cleansing solution to clean the same and liberate the gritty and claylike constituents borne thereby, moving the fabric while in its bath to facilitate the liberation of the foreign matter referred to, drying the felt upon its removal from said bath to a degree leaving only aslight dampness therein, and while in damp condition teazeling the surface of the fabric.

7. The method substantially as herein described of reclaiming relatively smooth discarded paper makers felt fabrics comprising the subjecting of the same to a bath of cleansing solution to clean the same and liberate the gritty and clay-like constituents borne thereby, moving the fabric while in its bath to facilitate the liberation of the foreign matter referred to, drying the felt upon its removal from'said bath to a degree leaving only a slight dampness therein, dyeing the material, and while in damp condition teazeling the surface of the fabric.

.In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

MAX STABINSKY. 

